Another year, another trial
by LunaLovegood731
Summary: Harry starts his 6th year at Hogwarts. The new dark arts teacher takes him and the rest of the school by surprise...


A/N: Hey everybody! I wrote this a while back and figured I'd throw it out there. I dunno if anyone will like it so if you could R&R that'd be fantabulous. enjoy!  
  
**Chapter 1:**  
Harry rushed frantically to platform 9 ¾ as the clock in the station drew close to 11 o'clock. Uncle Vernon had been in a particularly nasty mood this summer and it only seemed to grow worse as Harry's day to return to school drew closer. Since his piggish cousin Dudley had to come along, Dudley had made it a point to go at the speed of a slug. It took every ounce of Harry's will power not to curse him.   
He quickly ran through the wall at the platform, and was relieved to see the Hogwarts express still there. A whistle sounded as Harry bolted up the steps into the train. This year the train seemed particularly full. Harry anxiously searched for Ron and Hermione in each compartment. He stopped at what seemed to be the only cabin with its door closed. His fingers curled around the handle and he made an exhausted wish that his friends would be in here, so he would not have to run up and down the train.  
The door rolled back to reveal a lone girl sitting with her legs folded, back straight, and her eyes shut. Harry observed the girl dressed in black pants and a dark gray sweater, with strawberry blonde hair. He took a few unconfident steps into the cabin, waiting for her to notice his presence. The mysterious girl remained motionless. Harry sighed and decided to take the seat across from her. As he went to sit he accidentally dropped his wand, and it clattered to the floor. Before he could reach down and pick it up, the girl shot up aiming her wand at him. Harry put his hands up submissively and the lightning that flashed in the girls eyes died as soon as she seemed to realize what she was doing.   
"Oh! I'm so sorry. You caught me off guard" she said feebly, as she quickly shoved her wand back in her pocket.  
"Sorry. I just couldn't find my friends and all the other compartments seem to be full" Harry answered.   
"Well you can stay here if you like" she grinned.   
"Thanks" Harry said in a slightly shy manner as he took a seat across from her.  
The girl sat back down and stared out the window. Harry watched her eyes of a deep purple hue as they scanned the landscape. He was not one to usually feel comfortable in awkward silence, but the moment did not seem to bother him much.   
"Um, so, what's your name?" Harry asked finally.   
Her head snapped to face him, "oh, I'm Dierdre Kloemell." She smiled extending a hand.  
He shook her incredibly soft hand as he began to say, "I'm—"   
"Harry Potter, I know." She grinned glancing at his scar for a moment.   
Harry was speechless, as she leaned back into her seat, her violet eyes lightened into a rich sky blue. "Not to be rude" Harry said, "but what is wrong with your eyes?"   
"Oh I forgot" she chuckled "it's a simple charm I was testing out. A different color means I'm in a different mood." She pulled out her wand, closed her eyes, and ran the tip of her wand across each eyelid. When they reopened they were a captivating gray, like the sky on a rainy day, with flecks of icy blue.   
"I say you defiantly don't need a charm for beautiful eyes." Harry said grinning foolishly. Even as the words spilled from his lips he knew the line had sounded cheesy. Dierdre blushed slightly "Thanks" Changing the subject Harry piped up "what kind of wand is yours?"   
Proudly she held it up to him, "11 inch Redwood, dragon heartstring."   
"Nice" Harry said admiring the sleek dark red wood of her wand. Dierdre smiled, sliding her wand back into her pocket.  
"So did you have a nice summer?"   
"You obviously don't know where I have to go every summer." He said, "I'm forced to live with my aunt and uncle and their equally horrible son. Everyday is like a bloody nightmare"   
"So I take it your summer wasn't very nice?" Dierdre said looking slightly bemused. Harry gave a slightly embarrassed look, "yeah... How was your summer?"   
"Not too bad" she said as she shifted in her seat, "spent most of it traveling all over, stopped when I got to India so I could make it back here in time for the train."   
"Wow" Harry said in awe, "your parents must be very wealthy."   
Dierdre's eyes darkened for a moment, "actually my parents are dead."   
"Oh, I'm sorr—"   
"Don't be sorry" she smiled kindly, "we have that in common"   
"But," Harry asked confused, "You must live with some relatives' right?"   
"Actually no." she said in a somewhat sad tone, "don't really have any other family, at least any I'm aware of"   
"Wait" Harry said feeling more confused by the moment, "You have no family of any kind, yet you're traveling all over. You look my age but I don't remember ever seeing you before. What year and house are you in?"   
"Well actually..."Dierdre started but was cut off by the door of their compartment sliding open. A tall and scruffy redhead, and a shorter, more refined brunette, stood in the door way. "We've been looking all over for you Harry" Ron said as he plopped down in the seat next to Dierdre, not entirely noticing her presence, "we waited outside the train till there was only 7 minutes left. I thought we might have to come rescue you again."   
"Vernon and his son were feeling particularly nasty today." Harry replied.   
Hermione clicked, "I do wish there was somewhere else you could live." She sat down next to Harry and turned her full attention to the stranger. "Harry, who's this?" she whispered to him through smiling teeth.  
"This is Dierdre Kloemell" Harry announced, "Dierdre, this is Hermione and Ron" At this, Ron realized he wasn't sitting next to someone he knew. As he turned to greet her Harry could have sworn Ron's eyes widened for a moment and he suddenly got pink in the ears. Harry agreed with Ron's reaction to Dierdre's beauty. Hermione scowled slightly at Ron.   
"Nice to meet you all." Dierdre said and then quickly got up from her seat, "excuse me I'll be right back" With her exit, Ron excitedly scooted down so he was facing Harry.   
"Bloody hell" he exclaimed, "where on earth did she come from?"   
"Haven't found that out yet." Harry said, secretly hoping his friends could have only shown up a little bit later.  
  
Dierdre didn't return to the compartment during the whole train ride. The three friends were too occupied with conversation about their past 5th year at Hogwarts and their summers away from school to notice. Ron and Hermione went off to collect their things, leaving Harry alone again as they drew closer to the school. As the Hogwarts express began to slow down, Dierdre rushed into the compartment to grab a small bag.   
"Aren't you going to change into you're robes?" Harry asked.  
"Um no." she said not looking at Harry as she finished throwing a few small items into the bag, "see I am the same age as you but actually I'm not a student." Harry gave her a questioning look. She turned to face him, "I'm the new Dark Arts teacher." And with that she left once more. Harry watched out the window and saw her get off the train several minutes before anyone else did, and disappear into the night towards Hogwarts.  
  
On the trip up to the castle, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville all shared a carriage, and Harry gave them the news. They all looked just as astonished as he had. "She's too nice to have something wrong with her," Ron complained, "you know our Dark Arts teachers always have had something wrong with them. Possessed Quirrel, phony Lockhart, werewolf, imposter, deranged power mad women, I mean what next?"  
"I think this year might actually be different Ron." Harry said trying to sound positive.  
"How can she be our age, and be a teacher anyways?" Ron continued. "Dumbledore always has some logic behind his employment. If she is who she says she is, he must have felt she's extremely qualified." Hermione said haughtily.   
"If she is who she says she is, give me detention with her every day." Ron said wistfully. Harry snickered as Ron received a kick in the shin from Hermione. Before they knew it, they had returned to the place Harry considered the one and only place he could truly call home. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.   
  
Sure enough, as Harry entered the dining hall, he spotted Dierdre sitting at the table with the other teachers meekly gazing up at the enchanted ceiling or down as she twisted her napkin. He could tell she was desperately trying to distract herself from the countless eyes of his fellow peers as they stared at her questioningly.  
After the sorting of the first years, Dumbledore rose to give his traditional briefing of what would be happening at the school this year. The hall was quieter than any other time Harry could remember. He watched as the students clung to the first words of each of the head masters sentences, then their attention slightly drop when it wasn't about the mystery girl.  
"And finally..." Dumbledore added as heads perked up eagerly, "I'm sure you all have noticed a new face to the teaching staff this year. Miss Kloemell is the new instructor for your defense against the darks arts course this year."  
Dierdre smiled and waved to the students, as professor Snape sitting next to her, scowled at her cheeriness. When it was time for all students to retire to their houses for the night, chatter about the new professor floated through the hallways. Harry sauntered at the tail end of the line towards Gryffindor tower as Ron and Hermione were up in front leading the first years.   
Soft cool fingers wrapped around his arm to get his attention. "Mind if I join you?" Dierdre asked Harry, now walking beside him.   
"Sure" Harry choked out, "but aren't you supposed to be with the other teachers?"   
"Well there will be plenty of time to get acquainted with them. I'd really like to tour around the place a bit and what a better place to start than my houses commonroom" Dierdre answered. "You're a Gryffindor?" Harry asked, feeling more confused.   
"Yeah don't tell anyone, but I snuck a go at the sorting hat and that's what I got" Dierdre said grinningly.  
They reached the fat woman's portrait, now swung open as all the other Gryffindor clamored inside the commonroom. Dierdre stepped in behind Harry trying to not be noticed. She broke away from him as every one started going up to their rooms, and flopped down in a chair. As she surveyed the room with her eyes she finally said, "Very nice". With that she stood up to head back to the portrait. "Wait" Harry said, "don't you want to hang out a bit longer?"  
"I can't" she said firmly, "Harry, I'm your teacher, not one of your school chums. I can't just hang out with certain students on my free time, it would look bad on me as a professor."  
"Well maybe you can help me with my school work sometime." Harry said hopefully.  
Dierdre laughed, "Maybe. Goodnight Mr. Potter"   
"Night..." Harry said softly as she walked out of the room.  
  
Harry was one of the first into the Dark Arts classroom, hoping to get a few seconds to talk to Dierdre, but she wasn't there. She entered the room as the last few Slytherin came through the door. The room started getting quiet as students began turning their attention on her.   
As she walked past Harry he smiled and said "Hi Dierdre". She stopped and turned to look at him with a frosty expression.   
"Class" she said still staring at him, "Mr. Potter has just shown you one thing I do not tolerate in this class. Just because I happen to be the youngest teacher at this school, does not give any student the authority to address me so informally. Five points from Gryffindor, and I hope that's a lesson for all of you." With that she turned away and walked to the front of the class, leaving Harry with a shocked look on his face.   
Had he been wrong about the Dark Arts class being different this year? 


End file.
